


Happily Ever After

by RageQuit



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: And Burnie is there for a bit, Griffon is mentioned, M/M, tw abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-08
Updated: 2015-07-08
Packaged: 2018-04-08 06:44:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4294662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RageQuit/pseuds/RageQuit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gavin Free likes all kinds of things. Most of all, he likes Michael Jones. Oh, and Disney movies.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Happily Ever After

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this all in one day. On a seven hour car ride. While on Benedryl. I regret nothing.

Gavin Free was five years old. He liked cats, pancakes, and Disney movies. His favorite cat was a Siamese. His favorite pancakes had chocolate chips. His favorite Disney movie was Sleeping Beauty. He liked the horse and the dragon. 

He was an excitable little boy who liked playing with toys and jumping off of things he shouldn’t have been on. He lived in Oxfordshire, England and he had a father, a mother, and a little brother. Life was good. 

~~~

Gavin stumbled back and hit the ground. He glared up at the boy that had pushed him. He was laughing now. “You’re mean!” Gav shouted at him, pushing himself back up to his feet.

“It’s not mean if you deserve it.” The little boy went to push him again but Gav pushed back, knocking them both back a few steps. 

“I don’t!”

“You like princess movies! You’re a baby.”

“That doesn’t make me a baby!”

“Does too!”

Gavin glared at the boy, ready to pounce. He nearly did but the teacher rang the bell, ushering the students back inside the school. “They’re good movies.” He pouted, waddling into the building.

~*~*~

Gavin Free was seven years old. He liked cars, trains, and Disney movies. His favorite car was a Lexus. His favorite part of the train was the caboose. His favorite Disney movie was Pocahontas. He liked the songs and the way Pocahontas’s hair blew in the wind.

He was less excitable now. He tended to stay in his room and play with his toy cars and didn’t talk to people. He lived in Oxfordshire, England and he had a father. Life wasn’t quite as good.

~~~

“Oh no, look out! You’re gonna crash! _Poooffffff!_ ” Gavin bashed two of his cars together and sent one flying across the room.

“Gavin!” A voice from outside his room screamed at him and he winced. 

He dropped his toys and slunk out of his room to where the voice had come from. “Yes, dad?” He looked up at the man.

“The hell are you in there making all that noise for?!” 

“I’m just playing.” He said softly.

His dad slammed his beer bottle down onto the table, pushing his chair back. Gav instantly shied away. “Play with those damn cars. That’s all you ever do!” He snatched the boy’s wrist, eliciting a tiny cry. “Can’t you just sit still and be quiet?!” He shook the kid. “Don’t play with those cars. Just be fucking quiet!” He shoved the kid back into a wall, wide-eyed and trembling.

Gavin regained his balance quickly and bolted from the room before his dad could change his mind.

~*~*~

Gavin Free was 13 years old. He liked books, drawing, and Disney movies. His favourite books were the Harry Potter series. His favorite thing to draw was landscapes. His favorite Disney movie was Mulan. He liked Mushu, and how brave Mulan was.

He wasn’t excitable now. He stayed as far away from people as he could and drew or read. He didn’t know where exactly he lived now. He moved all over. He didn’t have a family. Life was hard.

~~~

“‘Ey, Gav.” A boy just a few years younger than Gavin wandered into his room. “You wanna come play wif us?” 

Gavin rolled his eyes at the kid’s accent. “I don’t want to play.” 

“You never play.” The kid pouted. 

“Because I hate all of you. Now get out.”

“It’s my room too!”

“You’re gonna go play, I thought.” 

The kid paused at this before shooting Gavin a glare and backing out of the room.

Gavin groaned and returned to his book. He hated living here. He hated living anywhere. Hated being a foster kid. The characters in his movies never had to deal with this. Why should he? 

Most kids thought he was lucky. He was in the process of being adopted, a strange thing for a thirteen-year-old. He didn’t think he was lucky. The family was from America. Texas, even. He’d only met them once so far. 

It’s not that they were bad people. They were actually very nice. The problem was, Gavin didn’t want to be a part of a family. He didn’t trust people. He hated them. The only reason he acted civil towards the couple was because he didn’t hate them quite as much as he hated being crammed in a house with a fuckload of other kids that he hated. 

That, and the wife had a cool name. Griffon. 

~*~*~

Gavin Free was 17 years old. He liked fire, stealing, and Disney movies. His favorite thing to set fire to was dry grass. His favorite thing to steal were keys. His favorite Disney movie was Aladdin. He liked how clever Aladdin was, and how funny Genie was.

He was too excitable now. Running from police, lighting things on fire, stealing straight out of people’s pockets. He lived in Austin, Texas. He ignored his family. Life was dangerous. 

~~~

“Gavin.” Geoff sighed from his son’s doorway. “I just got a call from the fire department. They said they just had to put out another grass fire.” Gavin looked up at him lazily. “Was that you?”

“Nope.” His attention turned back to his video games. 

Geoff walked across the room to stand in front of the TV, ignoring the bird protests that the kid gave him. “Gavin.”

“I didn’t do it!” He shouted, trying to lean around him.

“If you’d been in school like you were supposed to be, this wouldn’t be an issue.”

“I was in school!” 

“Griffon called the school. Gavin, if you miss another day, they have to hold you back!” 

“I don’t care, move!” 

“You need to care!” Geoff glared at him for a moment before sighing. “Gavin. I don’t know what you want me to do. I’ve tried everything I can think of. What do you want from me?”

Honestly, Gavin didn’t know the answer. He didn’t particularly want anything. He wasn’t even sure why he did the thing’s he did. He liked school. He knew that setting fires and stealing were all illegal. He just liked the adrenaline it gave him. He looked up at Geoff, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion.

~*~*~

Gavin Free was 21 years old. He liked filmography, his job, and Disney movies. His favorite thing to film were explosions. His favorite thing about his job was working with some of the funniest people in the world. His favorite Disney movie was Princess and the Frog. He liked Tiana’s work ethic and the creepy animation around Dr. Facilier. 

His excitement was toned down to a manageable level where he could funnel it into his work. He lived in Austin, Texas. He had an adoptive father and mother who loved him. Life was great.

~~~

Gavin loved his job and he put his heart and soul into it. He tried to model himself after his current favorite princess. Even though she had a rough time growing up, she was still bright and happy and worked hard. That’s how she got her happy ending, and that’s exactly what Gavin was striving for. He wasn’t sure what it would be, but he knew he’d get one. Everyone always did. 

When he got his first Phantom, he was thrilled to pieces. He spent the next two days learning exactly how to work it at it’s top performance. Then he spent the next week with it practically glued to his side. He filmed anything and everything he could think of.

When he got a speaking role in Red vs Blue, he was elated. Even though he was only alive for a few minutes, he put everything he could into that role. He wouldn’t stop talking about it. Even Geoff was starting to get tired of hearing him perfecting his few lines.

When he started talking to Michael Jones, his entire world changed. He’d been picked up by RT just a few weeks ago when he’d shot Gavin a message. They lived states away from each other, but Gavin had never felt closer to another person.

When Geoff told him that he was hiring the both of them to Achievement Hunter and that Michael would be moving to Texas he felt like he could fly. He was finally going to meet his best friend. He nearly tackled the older man when they finally got together.

When Michael first asked him out, his world was flipped upside down. Within one date, he knew. Michael was his happy ending.

~*~*~

Gavin Free was 24 years old. He liked cameras, Michael Jones, and Disney movies. His favorite camera was the Phantom Flex. His favorite thing about Michael was the way his face crinkled when he smiled. His favorite Disney movie was The Little Mermaid. He liked Sebastian and the way that, through everything she went through, Ariel still got her happy ending.

He was happy now. He had a job, a life, a group of friends and a boyfriend that cared about him and loved him. He lived in Austin, Texas. They were his family. Life was perfect. 

~~~

“But Micool!” Gavin whined at the man sitting beside him. 

“ _But Miiiicoooooool!_ ” The rest of the crew teased and Gavin gave up trying to persuade Michael to give him his sword back. The two had been together for three months, and weren’t subtle about it at all around the rest of the office. In the videos, maybe a bit more but who could blame them? 

It had only been three months, but Gavin was convinced he was going to spend the rest of his life with Michael. In fact, they both felt that way, but never really brought it up. 

Gav snuck a small glance at Michael, who grinned back at him before they both turned back to their computers. It wasn’t long, though, before Gavin was fucking with something else and causing a riot in the room. 

They were all yelling at him and that was fine. He was cackling away. What wasn’t fine was when, purely for the sake of the video, Michael slammed his headphones down on the desk and stood up from his chair to yell at him. He hadn’t meant anything by it, but he knew the audience liked it when he got mad at Gavin. He’d only intended to intimidate the younger man into giving him back the diamonds he’d stolen.

So when Gavin instinctively winced and held his arms up to his face in terror, Michael was more than a little startled. He took a step back into his chair and plopped back down, scooting it towards the Brit. 

Jack and Geoff had noticed the quiet and had taken to improving over it, asking Ray if he would bring them some supplies. Ray complied, quietly, watching Michael move Gavin’s arms away from his face and quietly reassure him.

They wrapped the Let’s Play up, Ray had won. Not that anyone was surprised. The Lad stretched back in his seat and swiveled his chair to face the other two. “Hey, I’m ditching on lunch today.” 

Michael looked up at him. “What? Why?”

“Don’t feel like it. I’m gonna see what I can mooch off Jack--”

“Which will be nothing!” Jack added quickly.

“And then I’m gonna keep my little ass in this chair. I don’t want to go outside.” 

“You want us to bring you something then?” Gavin seemed okay with this development. 

Michael, however, was not. Ray didn’t seem to be affected by his death glare however and spun back into his desk, shooting the red-head a dangerous look. He shook his head and watched Gavin turn back to his desk to collect whatever before leaning in to Michael. “You need to talk to him. I’m fucking serious.” 

He huffed and stood up from his desk and patted Gavin on the shoulder. “‘C’mon. We’re going to lunch, asshole.” He glared at Ray as Gavin happily popped up from his chair and padded out of the room. 

~~~

“Gav.” They boys already had their food and were beginning to nibble on it before Michael had managed to bring up the subject. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” Gavin tossed a fry into his mouth. “Why?”

He sighed and set his burger back onto his plate. “You winced. I saw it. Ray did too. You don’t think I would really hit you?” 

“Oh, no. I just--”

“Cause that’s all just an act, you know that don’t you? I mean sometimes you do piss me off, but I would never get that mad at you.”

“It’s not you, Michael.” Gavin shrugged. “I didn’t exactly have the best childhood and I guess its just a reflex now.” He poked Michael with a fry and grinned. “I’m fine though. Don’t worry about it.”

“You’re sure?”

“Positive. Eat your burger. I’m not paying for half eaten food.” 

~*~*~

It was 9:06. Geoff burst in the room and shouted at Jack to follow him. Gavin and Ray shared a concerned glance across Michael’s empty chair. But they shrugged it off as some sort of old person problem and turned back to whatever they were doing.

At 9:10 Jack walked back into the room looking too shell-shocked for their comfort. He didn’t say anything and just sat down at his desk. Ray shifted uneasily in his chair and Gavin locked his eyes onto his computer screen. 

At 9:15 Michael still wasn’t there. He’d been late before, but with the way Jack was acting and the urgency Geoff had had in his voice was making Gavin fidgety.

At 9:17 Burnie walked in. The air he brought with him set both Lads on edge. He seemed nervous and upset. It was the complete opposite of the feeling Burnie usually brought into the room. He looked at the two boys and took a deep breath.

At 9:18 Gavin’s world fell down around him. 

He stared at the mess of images on his computer screen. He could feel Burnie’s hand on his shoulder. He heard him say something but the words didn’t register. He felt like he was going to be sick. No. Didn’t feel. He _was_ going to be sick. He stumbled out of his chair, snatching his tiny trash bin and holding it close as his breakfast came back. 

Ray stood up from his desk as Gavin staggered to his feet. “Gav.” He reached out to touch his friend’s arm. 

Gavin only swatted him away. “I don’t want to hear it, Ray. I don’t… I don’t want to hear anything. From any of you!” He shot out of the room. No one followed him.

~~~

Gavin Free was 24 years old. He liked cameras and Michael Jones. He didn’t like Disney movies because all they taught were happy endings. He didn’t believe in happy endings.


End file.
